Hi all,

So, for better or for worse, I've been looking at the JLC Ultra-thin watches, specifically either the MUT 38mm, or the Master Grand UT (which is 40mm). This led me to wonder:
- are servicing costs for an ultra-thin markedly more than usual?
- given the delicacy of the movements, whether I should bring it back to Richemont for servicing, or are there 3rd party alternatives?
I tried these 2 watches recently and really liked the slim profile, but I'm wondering if the servicing costs are going to bleed me slowly years down the road... Do you guys have any experiences to share? I'd love to hear them, thanks!

 

No, not any higher because they're thin. They might be higher end watches though, which of course get more expensive - part of this explanation is in the answer to your second question:

Getting parts is the issue. If no parts are needed, there's nothing revolutionarily different for a competent watchmaker to figure out. However, if parts are needed that's where you're screwed because the manufacturer won't sell to an independent.

I don't think you'll have to worry about these being delicate. While not exactly robust, ultra-thins are not watches that are worn in places where they get punished. They're made to be dress watches which are worn in benign situations.

I think I have a little experience when it comes to ultra-thins. ( ) The best of these calibers are made by the better manufacturers. AP makes the full rotor 212x now - they own the tools and everything associated with this movement as part of the deal to sell their 40-ish % share of JLC to Richemont. It cost me $300+ to service my vintage AP caliber 2120 at an independent who (I hope) did a good job and supposedly had access to authentic parts. Just an FYI: the mainspring was a bit more expensive than a generic, costing $85.

Sadly, all of us might have to stomach the insane costs of factory servicing on high end watches if the Swiss keep finding loopholes after they lose lawsuits filed against them.

 

Yes, for modern watches parts are not really available. For vintage, there may be parts out there that were distributed to material houses before the companies started with all these restrictions, and I have serviced a number of vintage JLC's.

In terms of servicing the ultra-thins, they are certainly more delicate to work on - even tighten one in your movement holder too much and you can distort the plates. Factory service centers have the advantage of having factory made tooling used to hold the movement that supports it properly while it's being serviced.

Cheers, Al

 

Thanks guys for your insights!